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Oliver Reed

A versatile performer who made his living playing ruthless villains, actor Oliver Reed also developed a reputation as one of the bad boys of British cinema. In the 1960s and 1970s, he - along with pals Richard Burton, Richard Harris and Peter O'Toole - notoriously raised hell while drinking themselves into oblivion, leaving behind a long line of battered hotel rooms and broken bones, courtesy of numerous bar fights. With no formal training to speak of, Reed burst onto the scene with "The Curse of the Werewolf" (1961) and delivered a memorable performance as the evil Bill Sykes in the Oscar-winning musical "Oliver!" (1968). He was delightful as the amoral head of "The Assassination Bureau" (1969), and was at his swashbuckling best as Athos in "The Three Musketeers" (1973) and its sequel "The Four Musketeers" (1974). From there, Reed embarked on a series of misbegotten films like "The Big Sleep" (1978), "The Sting II" (1983) and "Castaway" (1986), none of which added any value to his career. Reed had a bit of fun as the evil Vulcan in "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1988) and Billy Bones in "Treasure Island" (TNT, 1990), only to once again make several rather forgettable pictures. But Reed began reviving himself once more late in his career, only to suffer a fatal heart attack in the midst of production on the Oscar-winning "Gladiator" (2000), leaving behind a long career that to critics and fans seemed unworthy of the actor's considerable gifts.